Horse owners should be aware that both state and federal laws apply to prescribed medications used in horses. According to state and federal laws, expired medications cannot be used or donated. Once a drug is outdated, it is considered adulterated and must be disposed of properly.
Pay attention to expiration dates!
Using expired medical products is risky and possibly harmful to your horse's health.
In addition, no drug that has been dispensed pursuant to a veterinarian's prescription and has left the physical premises of the distributor can be returned or dispensed again. According to the Pharmacy Board, if the medication package says “by or on order of a veterinarian”, the drug is a prescription drug and cannot, by law, be returned to the veterinarians office.
Using expired medical products is risky and possibly harmful to your horse's health. In the late 1970s, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began requiring an expiration date on prescription and over-the counter medicines. “Expiration dates on medical products are a critical part of determining if the product is safe to use and will work as intended,” says FDA pharmacist, Ilisa Bernstein. Sometimes following “EXP,” the expiration date can be found printed on the label or stamped onto the bottle or carton; it is important to know and adhere to the expiration date on all medications whether for horses or humans.
Expired medical products can be less effective or risky due to a change in chemical composition or decrease in potency. Improper storage can also contribute to decreased effectiveness in medicines that have not reached their posted expiration date whether in a hot barn or a damp location. To help ensure the proper shelf life of medications, it is better to store medicine in a controlled climate.
If you have expired equine medications, they should be disposed of properly. Read the label for disposal instructions that may be included.
If no instructions are provided, a drug take-back program, if available, is a good way to dispose of expired, unwanted or unused medicine. Check with your veterinarian or local government to see if there is a drug take-back program available in your area. If no take-back program is available, federal guidelines recommend throwing medicine away in the household trash by placing it in a bag or container and mixing with coffee grounds or kitty litter.
However, some medicine is specifically recommended for flushing down a toilet or sink because while safe and effective when used as prescribed, it could be especially harmful to a child, pet, or anyone else if taken accidentally.
“Once the expiration date has passed there is no guarantee that an expired medicine will be safe and effective,” says Bernstein. “If your medicine has expired, do not use it.”